Ovoid Mitochondrial Cytoplasmic Complex (OMC)

This is a composite assembling of organelles in tachyzoites of Toxoplasma gondii consisting of an enrolled branch of the mitochondrion (showing no inner infoldings in this region, but appearing often with up to 4 membranes – depending on the section) and an enclosed small gap of cytoplasm being situated close to the Golgi-apparatus at the anterior pole of the nucleus. This OMC appears only in growing tachyzoites and is correlated with mitochondrial growth or division. Although nothing is known on its function, it clearly differs from the similarly looking apicoplast.